124 COMMON SHREW. 



the body, somewhat four-sided, of nearly equal 

 thickness throughout. The fur is short, fine, and 

 soft ; the mystacial bristles very long ; the tail 

 covered all round with short stiffish hairs. The 

 upper parts are brownish-red, the lower pale brown- 

 ish-grey ; the feet flesh-coloured, with whitish 

 hairs ; the eyes black ; the teeth tinged with brown- 

 ish-red. The length of the head of an individual 

 is one inch and a twelfth, of the body one inch and 

 eight-twelfths, of the head and body two inches and 

 nine-twelfths, while that of the tail is an inch and 

 ten-twelfths. 



This species, which is generally distributed in 

 England and Scotland, residing in woods, hedges, 

 and fields, chiefly in dry situations, although occa- 

 sionally met with in meadows and moist pastures, 

 feeds entirely on insects and worms, in searching 

 for which it works its w r ay along the surface, con- 

 cealed among the grass and herbage. Although its 

 feet are well adapted for running, they are equally 

 so for digging ; and, accordingly, it passes the 

 winter in burrows, to which it retreats when in dan- 

 ger, and it forms superficial runs or galleries among 

 the grass. But even with this hideling kind of life 

 it is not secure from the attacks of enemies, being 

 frequently seized by the Kestrel, and Owls of differ- 

 ent kinds, especially the Barn Owl, in the stomachs 

 of which the bones of the head are often found un- 

 injured. Its cry is a shrill and feeble cheep ; it 

 runs with great celerity, and emits a rank musky 

 vmell, in consequence of which, as is supposed, cats. 



